St. Paul man accused of holding woman he met on Facebook hostage for 10 days
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
A St. Paul man is accused of holding a woman he met online against her will and repeatedly assaulting her.
A criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County District Court says Ryan Abernatha began talking with the 29-year-old woman on Facebook and arranged for her to travel from North Dakota to meet him. The woman told police Abernatha repeatedly attacked her, choked her and wouldn't let her leave his apartment for 10 days.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports the woman eventually messaged a friend on Facebook asking him to rescue her. That man called police.
The complaint says Abernatha told officers who responded that no one was at his place, but the woman got out and went to officers.
Abernatha has denied holding the woman against her will or hurting her.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
